


Are You Listening, Ghost?

by Ryter21



Category: Destiny (Video Game), Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Drabble, Gen, Pre-Fall of Overwatch, Work In Progress, Young!McCree, sorta - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-10
Updated: 2017-12-07
Packaged: 2018-11-12 14:55:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11164230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ryter21/pseuds/Ryter21
Summary: McCree had a lot of skeletons in his closet.  All of them did, really, so Gabriel couldn't really judge.  But a chance encounter with an odd SIM program brings up a lot of questions.And one of McCree's skeletons may actually be a Ghost.





	1. Venus Overture

**Author's Note:**

> A wip drabble type thing I've had sitting on my computer for a while. Just wanted to get it out there.

"I think that's everything we needed for today, Commander."

Jack smiled and nodded, exchanging goodbyes and platitudes with the official he and the rest of his command team had spent the better part of the evening. Once the holoscreen was off, he collapsed back into his chair.

"Motherfucker," Gabe mumbled into his arms.

"Now now Gabriel," Ana chastised as she stretched, "Don't be mean to our financial backers."

Gabriel heaved himself up, "I can bitch all I want when the jackass keeps us up until midnight with bullshit."

Jack glanced over at the wall clock and groaned. 0035 blinked back in bright red from the wall; had it really been that long?

Ana grinned, "It's only late evening for the senator, I'm sure he just forgot the time difference."

The look Gabe sent her told Jack exactly what he thought of that. Standing, Jack collected his paperwork and herded the other two out of the conference room and back towards the officer's quarters.

"No use complaining about it now. I for one just want to get some sleep tonight," Jack said.

They walked through the halls of the base, lights dimmed mostly empty due to the late hour. Even most of the night owls had turned in, or at least taken their project back to their rooms. It wasn't until they reached the SIM rooms that Gabe paused, frowning.

"Something wrong?" Ana asked.

Gabe entered the SIM control room, reading over the interface. Jack and Ana exchanged frowns and follows him in. There was a SIM running, full immersion, no enemy combatants. It was a custom program based off actual coordinates from... Venus? Jack took over look at the readout, rubbing at his eyes.

"Athena, who's running this?" Gabe called out.

"This is a custom simulation from Agent McCree, Commander Reyes."

Gabe frowned, "The kid? What's this for?"

"Although he sometimes uses custom sims for training purposes, tonight he is only admiring the view. If I may, he seems... homesick."

"Homesick?" Jack asked, "About Venus?" He gestured to the panel in front of him at Ana's raised eyebrow, "Well, that's what it says!"

Gabe waved them off, "Athena, let us in, but don't tell the kid ok?"

"Very well."

The SIM was... beautiful, if tragic. Venus, if the label was correct, was far more colorful than Jack had expected it to be. There was plant life everywhere, and the sky...

"The buildings..." Ana murmured.

Jack tore his gaze away to look across the gap. There were indeed buildings, or at least the remains of them. Huge structures abandoned and wrecked, falling back to nature.

Gabe took it all in, face hard. "Athena."

"Agent McCree is at the end of the bend to your left."

Following the AI's instructions they spotted a figure sitting at the far end of the path at what looked like to be the edge of a drop off. Keeping quiet, they got close enough to see what McCree had apparently come here to look at.

"Sweet Jesus, Mary and Joseph," Jack breathed, staring at the giant volcano spewing vibrant blue.

Ana was the first to move, taking the final steps to the kid's side. "Jesse?" She asked softly, touching his shoulder.

The kid jerked back, pulling himself half up and reaching for a gun he didn't have before he could stop himself, "Captain Amari!?" He squeaked, "What are you-" he cut himself off, eyes widening as he took in Jack and Gabe, "Jefe, Commander, I-"

Gabe raised a hand and the kid's teeth clacked shut. They stood in silence for a moment before Gabe sighed, "Have you slept yet, kid?"

McCree looked like he wasn't sure what he say before settling on, "Uh, no, sir. Was having trouble."

"Hmm," Gabe nodded, "Ana, you got any of that chamomile shit left?"

Ana smiled, "I may have some, yes." Turning to McCree, she continued, "Come on, Jesse, let's have some tea."

The kid hesitated for a moment before following her out, "I'm afraid to say I've never been much fond of tea, ma'am."

"Then you've never had it made right before. Come along."

Jack and Gabe stayed quiet until their voices had gone. Taking in the scenery around them, it took a long moment for one of them to speak.

Jack took a breath, "Any ideas?"

Gabe shook his head, "Not a one."

They stood quiet again.

"Where even is this?"

"Apparently this is Venus?"

"But, how, when?"

"Maybe it's based on a book or something, how the hell should I know?"

More quiet, then "Athena?"

"Yes, Commander Morrison?"

"Did McCree say where this SIM came from?"

Athena paused before responding, "We made it, sir, from data Agent McCree provided."

Jack and Gabe started making their way back to the control room, "What data was that?"

"Agent McCree supplied a topographical map, along with the proper environmental conditions and aesthetic data, and we compiled it into the SIM you are currently in."

Athena's wording made Gabe pause, "Are there other custom maps?"

"There are."

Back in the control room a list popped up on the screen, labeled Planets:

\- Cosmodrone  
\- Moon  
\- Venus  
\- Mars  
\- Dreadnaught

Another list was Hubs:

\- The Tower  
\- Fellwinter Peak  
\- The Reef

There were others too, smaller lists labeled Strikes, Raids and Crucible.

"Jesus," Jack muttered.

"And do any of these match any maps you have access to?" Gabe asked.

"The maps Cosmodrone, Fellwinter Peak, and several on the Crucible list have similar matches to areas on Earth. Maps pertaining to the moon shares topographical features but differing infrastructure to the Horizon Lunar Colony. The others are unknown."

"We need to have a talk with that boy."

"We? He's you're kid."

Gabriel took one last look at the SIM, at the ruins of buildings and otherworldly sky, ended the SIM, and walked with Morrison out of the room.


	2. Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What Jesse remembered most was red. The sky blazed red, the fire burned red, their armor gleamed red.
> 
> They were legion, and they didn't stop until all that was left was red.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Something I started when the console beta came out, continue when the game launched, and finally got around to finishing. Enjoy!

" _Is anyone getting anything from the Tower?  Or the city at all?_ "  Jesse asked over comms.

 

" _Nothing on our end,_ " Addie said, her voice low as she tried to get any kind of reading from her sensors.

 

Rev huffed, " _Viral and I have been spamming Cayde for the last hour, but he stopped replying.  I even tried sending him a Fallen's dick pic!_ "

 

The comms were silent for a sec before Jesse snorted and broke into laughter.  He could practically hear Addie roll her eyes, but the mood seemed to lighten a bit.

 

" _Really, Rev?_ " Arc asked from Addie's shoulder, " _Was that really necessary?_ "

 

An indignant wir sounded, " _Yeah, and I had to snap the damn thing.  How do you think I feel?_ "

 

" _Oh hush, Viral,_ " Rev waved his ghost off, " _It wasn’t that bad._ "

 

" _WASN'T THAT BAD!?  IT WAS-_ "

 

" _Can it,_ " Addie said, and the chatter stopped.  There were a tense few moments before she spoke up again, " _I'm only getting static.  Emergency comms are silent, but nothing is coming out from the City.  No radio, no signals, not even a beacon.  We move in fast and low, assess and move from there._ "

 

A chorus of 'Yes, ma'ams' came over comms.  This had never happened before.  Towers had gone dark, sure, but only as they were abandoned as a whole.  And even then there was always something going on in the city.  It had never cut off so suddenly and without and prior indication.

 

" _They'd better be ok,_ " Jesse muttered, " _Holiday still owes me glimmer._ "

 

" _You remember when I said you fly too fast?_ " Halifax asked him, light blinking.  Jesse gave him the look that that deserved, " _Forget I said that.  Fly faster_."

 

Jesse took a breath, adjusted his course and hit the throttle.

 

\-----------------------

 

They came out of the cloud bank into the apocalypse.  The sky was burning red and littered with Cabal ships.  Jesse pulled a sharp dodge as a ship sped past him, half engulfed in flames.

 

" _Head to the tower!_ " Addie barked over comms.

 

The Tower was wrecked; the Vanguard Hall was blown open, and there was fire and smoke obscured most of what was left.  They phased into the gaping hole in the side, and took a moment to try and process what they were seeing.

 

"Our home…" Halifax's voice almost seemed to crack.  "Everything's gone!"

 

"The tower, our city," Viral was flitting from side to side, trying to find anything that was still working.

 

"I can still hear gunfire," Addie hefted her gun, "Which means there's still someone firing back.  We move fast, dispatch any obstacles, and try and find the survivors."

 

"Understood," Rev checked his pulse rifle.

 

"Yes'm," Jesse muttered and summoned a pistol.

 

They pushed forward, barely registering the Cabal before they took them out.  Their comms crackled to life, and the team almost cheered as Zavala's voice broke through the static.  Their joy was short lived, however, as his words registered with them.

 

_"This is Commander Zavala. Civilians: report to evac points. Guardians: rendezvous in the Plaza. Our City will not fall!"_

 

Jesse spared a brief, cynical thought for the fact that the City was pretty much gone already.

 

The doors ahead opened and bent as Cayde was thrown bodily into them, and Jesse couldn't stop the cry of "Cayde, you beautiful bastard!"

 

"Hey you guys," Cayde-6 waved, "Gimme a sec."  He dispatched the three Cabal behind him with brutal efficiency.

 

"What's going on?" Addie asked.

 

"Zavala's doing the hero thing in the plaza. Me," The hunter vanguard spun his gun, "I've got a date with whoever's behind this. It'll be a short date."

 

They made it through the small gathering of survivors, briefing with Shaxx and gearing up and moving on.  They made it through to clear the hanger, barely pausing to take in the Cabal command ship and the _… thing_ attaching itself to the Traveler before making a run for the main plaza.

 

"Doesn't matter what happens," Revenant muttered, "The tower is lost anyways."

 

"D'you think the dorms are alright?  I left my hat behind," Jesse asked, his voice weak despite the upbeat tone he was trying for.

 

"We have to hope it works out," Adelaide said firmly, "The tower, and this city is all we have left."

 

These 'Red Legion' were different from the Cabal they had fought before.  They had better equipment, better tactics, and more numbers.  They fought fiercer, punched harder and took longer to go down.  Elite troops made for the long fight.

 

A long fight the Guardians were currently losing.  Running up the bridge made of debris, Jesse felt his breath stop as one of the spires toppled; slowly at first, as if time had slowed, and then faster as gravity finally kicked in.

 

"Guardians, to me!"  They found Zavala in the main square, and fought through the crowd of enemies to where the vanguard was holding the courtyard.  Jesse took up position some rubble, while his teammates wrought havoc on the invaders.

 

"Don't let them past the gates.  The evac shuttles are back there!"  Zavala called out.  They held the doors through wave after wave of cabal.  Their numbers were just starting to thin out when Ikora's voice came over the speakers.

 

" _Zavala, the last of the shuttles are away.  But the speaker…_ " Ikora hesitated, " _He never made it.  I'm going to look for him_."

 

"Adelaide!" Zavala called.

 

"Right," She replied, "Rev, Jess, go.  Zavala and I can hold the plaza."

 

"Understood," they made a break for the markets, dodging any cabal they couldn't dispatch in two shots.  Jesse paused at the stairs, checking on Addie one last time before turning the corner.

 

"Light's sake," Rev snarled at the frame trying in vain to sweep the floor clean, "Get to a shuttle!"

 

It hesitated for a moment, clutching its broom to its chest before whistling fearfully and skittering off.

 

"Didn't need to go biting its head off," Jesse said, taking a moment to reload.

 

Rev shot him a look, "We're in the middle of an invasion and the tower is falling apart.  Excuse me if I'm a little tense!"

 

They were greeted by Ikora's Nova Bomb into a group of enemy combatants.

 

"Ikora!" Viral called.

 

"The speaker is gone," Ikora bit out.  Her tone was hard, holding emotion Jesse hadn't heard from her before.  He didn't think he liked it.  "Red Legion!" She bellowed, "You will take no more from us!  And you will find no mercy in _me!_ "  She leapt into the air, throwing another Nova Bomb and landing on the fighter just as it started to fall.

 

"I don't think that was legal," Jesse muttered, and then registered that the blur that had just shot past him was Rev.  The human reached out, "Rev what the hell-!?"

 

"Ikora needs backup!" The exo replied, leaping after his vanguard, "Finish the mission!  You'll be fine, kid!"  Jesse ran to the edge, but was only able to see the last bit of the ship as it fell into the smog, the two warlocks with it.

 

"Damnit Rev," Jesse cursed.  He backed up, honestly debating whether to move on or head back the plaza when a drop pod landed to his right.  "Fucking shit!"

 

"Zavala, Adelaide!" Halifax said, and Jesse threw a grenade.

 

" _They'll find the speaker!_ "  Zavala said, " _We need you on the command ship.  Head to the North Tower!   I'm sending Amanda Holiday to pick you up._ "

 

" _Don't worry, Jess_ ," Addie cut in, " _Once I'm done here I'll meet you up there._ "

 

"Roger,"  Jesse confirmed.  He finished off the last of the grunts, and fought his way through the markets.  "Fucking hate incendiors," he muttered, dodging another fire on the ground.

 

Hal piped in, "What, you can dish out the heat but can't handle it yourself?"

 

"Fuck off night light," Jesse shot back, rolling through the doors at the end of the hall and dropping three cabal, before scrambling back behind cover as another drop pod opened to reveal a Centurion.

 

_"Amanda's inbound_ ," Zavala reported, " _She'll drop you on the command ship._ "

 

"If I'm still in one piece when she gets here!" Jesse bit back.

 

It took two rockets and a clip of energy ammo to kill the damn thing.  He made it the rail just as Amanda pulled up.

 

" _Someone told me you need a ride?_ "

 

\-----------------------

 

Going through the command ship was easier than Jesse had expected.  He'd learned how to dodge and when to shoot to avoid getting hit long before he'd even became a guardian.  He was starting to get worried, though; He'd faced three commanders on the way in, but this was the flagship of the invasion.  Where was the main command?

 

"Addie, you plannin on making it to the party before it's over?" He asked.

 

His only response was static.

 

Hal let out a small whine, "Maybe being so close to the generator's scrambled the comms.  It should fix itself once we deactivate it."

 

"Right, sure," Jesse agreed hesitantly.  "I just gotta shoot it till it stops, right?"

 

"The usual," Hal responded.

 

After pumping the requisite amount of bullets into the machinery so that it stopped moving, they headed for the deck.

 

"Zavala," Halifax reported, "Shields are down!"

 

There was nothing but static.  "Zavala?  Addie?" Jesse tried.

 

Hal's voice was starting to sound desperate, "Amanda, we're headed topside!"

 

Static persisted. "Amanda!?" Hal tried again.

 

Jesse Stepped through the doors when they were just barely wide enough for him to fit through.  He faltered, nearly tripping over his own feet at the sight of the traveler, caged by whatever machine the Cabal had come up with.

 

"No…" Jesse's voice was hoarse.

 

Hal materialized next to him, "How do we come back from this?"

 

"You don't."  Jesse spun around, raising his gun and training it on the massive cabal commander who had come on deck. "Welcome to a world without Light," he breathed, gesturing to the Traveler.

 

"Hell do you mean…" Jesse turned just enough to see a field start crawling it's way over the surface of the Traveler.  He turned back, determined to try and at least put a few holes in the glorified rhino when he felt it.

 

It was like a kick to the chest; all the air in his lungs pulled out at once as his vision went white.  He stumbled, nauseous and weak, as he put a hand to his helmet in an attempt to stop the spinning.

 

"Jesse," Now Hal's voice was staticky, "something's wrong…"

 

Jesse barely registered his ghost clattering to the ground before he fell to his hands and knees.  He had barely the presence of mind to grab Halifax before the rhino was looming over him.

 

"What," Jesse gasped, "Did you _do_?"

 

"Do not address me, creature!" The commander snarled, kicking the young man square in the chest and sending him flying across the deck."

 

The Cabal lumbered forward, "You are weak. Undisciplined. Cowering behind walls. You're not brave. You've merely forgotten the fear of death. Allow me to reacquaint you.

 

Jesse struggled to his feet, barely managing to make sure he was still holding his ghost before the Cabal punched him, sending him airborne, and knocking the wind out of him for the second time in as many minutes.  He felt his grip loosen, and the shock of the landing was enough for him to let go entirely. He scrambled to look over the edge, reaching down as the small shadow disappeared into the smoke.

 

"Hal," Jesse's voice was hoarse, and he reached out  as if to try and catch the shape that was already well out of sight.  "Bastard," He snarled, turning back to look at the commander stalking towards him.

 

The rhino went on as if he hadn't spoken, "Your kind never deserved the power you were given. I am Ghaul."  Jesse struggle up to his knees, determined to, at the very least, face what was likely his final death head on.  The commander, Ghaul, pointed towards the Traveler, "And your light?  Is mine."

 

Jesse had imagined his death quit a few times.  It was one of the hazards growing up in the era he had, and even more so when he became a guardian.  It seemed a little less morbid when you knew that you were probably going to come back. When asked, he'd say he hoped that he would go down fighting, preferably taking the bastard that got him down too.

 

Honestly, Jesse admitted to himself that he'd much prefer it if he went peacefully.  In his sleep, done in by old age and with the knowledge he'd done something worth doing with himself.  He'd had enough of violent deaths, but he understood that as a guardian he wouldn't get much choice in the matter now.

 

One thing he was absolutely certain of, though, was that being kicked off the deck of a ship by the same way someone would scrape cow shit off the bottom of their boot, not know what had happened to his friends; those he had come to consider family?

 

Well, that was just unfair wasn't it?


	3. Res

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little insight into Jesse's past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I've come to realize that while I know how Jesse's history in this works, it's not at all clear to any of you. As such, I've added this helpful chapter to confuse you all even more.

Jesse gasped, stumbling forward onto his hands and knees, trying to force air into his aching lungs, squinting against the sudden brightness and the horrible realization that everything hurt, his lungs, his joints, his skin, why did it hurt, why was everything so loud, his hands started burning and he could feel the sun beating down on his back, sand shifting under him as he tried to figure out-

"Try to relax! Deep, slow breaths. I know it hurts, but it's only for a few minutes, your body just needs a moment to make sure everything's where it's supposed to be."

He tried, falling onto his side and slowing his breath. He clenched his hands over and over, trying to ease the pins and needles. He curled into himself, slowly relaxing as the overwhelming sensations started to dull.

By the time he felt mostly human again, the heat was starting to become unbearable. He sat up and looked around. There was sand, which was standard, and some formations jutting out of the ground which seemed vaguely familiar, and behind him-

Jesse scrambled to his feet, ignoring the renewed screaming of his muscles as he tried to comprehend what he was seeing. The sky was clear, so he had a perfect view of Sangre de Cristo looming on the distance. At its feet he could see ruins; a city overgrown and crumbling. It was bizarre; along with the stucco he was so used too, he could see taller structures of what looked like metal.

"Jesus wept…" Jesse breathed. He stumbled back, barely managing to stay upright.

"Look, I know you're feeling overwhelmed right now, but we've really got to go."

That voice again! Jesse jerked his head towards the speaker, and blinked. The little ball of light and metal twitched and spoke again, "Hi, I'm a Ghost. You're ghost, actually. Yes, you were dead. Yes, I brought you back. Yes, this is the future. Unfortunately, there are a lot of things out here that are going to try and kill you again, so we need to start moving somewhere safe. Understand?"

"I… what?" Jesse felt numb, now that the last of the pain had subsided; everything seemed so far away. He shook his head, "What are you talking about?"

"Ugh!" The- ghost?- jerked angrily, "I'll explain as we move, but we need to move!" He flew behind Jesse, bumping straight into his back and nudging him forward. "Let's go, we're burning daylight!"

Jesse started forward, still not comprehending much of anything when his boot hit something in the sand. He stopped, and knelt down to dig it out.

"You're not moving!" The ghost just sounded annoyed, now, "What are you-" It stopped, and it's light dimmed, "Oh." It said softly.

Jesse stared at the bones under his hands. It was an arm, surely smaller than his were, and there was something wrapped around the wrist. He brushed more sand aside, tugging at the brittle metal chain until broke, and lifted it up. There was a charm attached to it, made of a sturdier metal with a cross carved into it, surrounded by turquoise chips.

What was this doing here? Maria never took the damn thing off-

Maria! He was hit with a wave of panic, where was his sister!? They had been running, the bandits right behind them, and-

His head throbbed as memories slammed to the forefront of his mind. Maria, sitting on front of him on the saddle, clutching the saddle. The sting of the sand as they galloped towards the town, hoping to make it close enough for someone to see, to help, they were so close.

He remembered the gunshot; a sharp pain in his back, the horse falling out underneath them, slamming into the rocks below.

He remembers dying.

"Maria," he sobbed, clutching the charm as the last of the chain crumbled away, " _Manita_!"

He didn't know how long he cried, sitting in the sand, trying to grasp the impossibility of his situation. Eventually though, he registered something in the distance. Voices?

"You remember what I said before?" Ghost asked, "About things that'll try to kill you? They're still coming."

"So?" Jesse mumbles, "Let them come." He rubbed the tarnished metal of the charm with his thumb.

There was an angry whir, "You're a coward."

Jesse jerked his head up, "What?"

Ghost sounded almost disgusted, "I've been searching for you for nearly a century, and this is what I get? A cowardly little boy who'd rather sit down and die, rather than fight."

"What's the point?" Jesse snarled, "Everyone is dead, the future is shit, and I never asked you to bring me back!"

"People need your help!"

Jesse stopped, "What?"

The ghost sighed, "I brought you back or a reason; to be a Guardian. Guardians protect what's left of humanity from what caused this." It turned, gesturing to the ruins before them. "I didn't choose you, kid," it continued, "you were chosen for me. You have the chance to help save others, to prevent them from sharing your pain. Besides," it floated down and nudged his hand, "What would she say, if she saw you giving up like that?"

He took a deep breath, barely even having to think about it before responding, "She'd smack me, and say I'm being stupid." Jesse could hear the voices getting closer, and a noise he could almost compare to a locomotive. He met Ghost's… eye? "Where do we go?"

It bobbed in approval, "There's a group of guardians in Europe building a city for survivors, "it said, "We'll find a ship, then head there."

"Europe!?" Jesse squawked, "That'll take ages! And I'll never get across the sea!"

"Ships are different now from what you remember," the ghost seemed to shrug him off, "Don't worry. There's a shipyard a few days walk from here. I'm sure we'll find something salvageable."

All of a sudden the roar grew louder, and both of them flinched. Ghost continued quickly, " _But we won't get anywhere unless you start moving so let's go before they get here_!"

Jesse didn't need to be told again.

\----------------------------

He didn't remember much about being dead.

He could recall, vaguely, a sense of warmth and contentment. A bright darkness, if that made any sense (it didn't really, but it was as accurate as he was able to be.) There weren't any solid thoughts or images, just abstract feelings he could only partly translate. Sometimes, if he stared too long at the bottom of a whiskey bottle, he would wonder if there was something more, but the Light had clouded it so that they wouldn't attempt to go back.

He decided that, in the end, maybe it would be better if he didn't know.


End file.
